In search of the origins of term censor, I hit a dead end stuck with the greek term, to censor, λογοκρίνω Announcing the arrival of Valued Associate #679: Cesar Manara Planned maintenance scheduled April 23, 2019 at 23:30 UTC (7:30pm US/Eastern)What is the origin of “Couldn't hit a cow's arse with a banjo”?Origins of the gaming term “cheese strategy”What is the origin of the term “hit point”?Does the term “garbledy gook” have racist origins?What is the origin of “dead end” on a road sign?Origins of the term “funny onion”What is the origin of the term 'blue ruin' for low-end gin?How did failing things and clothes end up with the same word?What is the origin of the word “shot” with regards to the drinking term “Give me a shot.”How did the word “Soviet” end up with an -ie-?
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In search of the origins of term censor, I hit a dead end stuck with the greek term, to censor, λογοκρίνω
Announcing the arrival of Valued Associate #679: Cesar Manara
Planned maintenance scheduled April 23, 2019 at 23:30 UTC (7:30pm US/Eastern)What is the origin of “Couldn't hit a cow's arse with a banjo”?Origins of the gaming term “cheese strategy”What is the origin of the term “hit point”?Does the term “garbledy gook” have racist origins?What is the origin of “dead end” on a road sign?Origins of the term “funny onion”What is the origin of the term 'blue ruin' for low-end gin?How did failing things and clothes end up with the same word?What is the origin of the word “shot” with regards to the drinking term “Give me a shot.”How did the word “Soviet” end up with an -ie-?
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I have been looking in OED for a history that makes sense, yet, I just find crumbs, and I can not piece the history of this term. I am hitting a dead end researching the greek term to censor, named λογοκρίνω
According to Oxford English Dictionary the word censure, n., is first documented in use in
[QUOTE]138. Wyclif Sel. Wks. III. 361 Censures þat þe fend blowiþ, as ben suspendingis, enterditingis, cursingis, and reisingis of croiserie. Back then it was defined as ‘A spiritual punishment inflicted by some ecclesiastical judge.’ Ayliffe. (The earliest recorded sense.)[/QUOTE]
[QUOTE] A Roman censor, formerly just called a censor was The title of two magistrates in ancient Rome, who drew up the register or census of the citizens, etc., and had the supervision of public morals.[/QUOTE]
In the same entry as censure, definition 5 explores, the concept further.
- Censorship; the office or action of a censor.
a. Of the ancient Roman censors (= Latin censūra): also concrete (obsolete).
λογοκρίνω
See Screenshots of the OED entries for all the details, and referenced material.
Entry for censor
entry for censure n.
Additional context - http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus:text:1999.04.0063:entry=censor-cn
etymology latin origin-unknown greek
New contributor
Julien Tremblay McLellan is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
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I have been looking in OED for a history that makes sense, yet, I just find crumbs, and I can not piece the history of this term. I am hitting a dead end researching the greek term to censor, named λογοκρίνω
According to Oxford English Dictionary the word censure, n., is first documented in use in
[QUOTE]138. Wyclif Sel. Wks. III. 361 Censures þat þe fend blowiþ, as ben suspendingis, enterditingis, cursingis, and reisingis of croiserie. Back then it was defined as ‘A spiritual punishment inflicted by some ecclesiastical judge.’ Ayliffe. (The earliest recorded sense.)[/QUOTE]
[QUOTE] A Roman censor, formerly just called a censor was The title of two magistrates in ancient Rome, who drew up the register or census of the citizens, etc., and had the supervision of public morals.[/QUOTE]
In the same entry as censure, definition 5 explores, the concept further.
- Censorship; the office or action of a censor.
a. Of the ancient Roman censors (= Latin censūra): also concrete (obsolete).
λογοκρίνω
See Screenshots of the OED entries for all the details, and referenced material.
Entry for censor
entry for censure n.
Additional context - http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus:text:1999.04.0063:entry=censor-cn
etymology latin origin-unknown greek
New contributor
Julien Tremblay McLellan is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
Can you clarify exactly where the problem is? Is it in understanding how the Latin word (borrowed from Greek) changed its meaning when borrowed into English? Or is it how the Latin word 'censor' came from the Greek 'λογοκρίνω' or where the pieces of 'λογοκρίνω' came from within or before Greek? Or something else?
– Mitch
30 mins ago
add a comment |
I have been looking in OED for a history that makes sense, yet, I just find crumbs, and I can not piece the history of this term. I am hitting a dead end researching the greek term to censor, named λογοκρίνω
According to Oxford English Dictionary the word censure, n., is first documented in use in
[QUOTE]138. Wyclif Sel. Wks. III. 361 Censures þat þe fend blowiþ, as ben suspendingis, enterditingis, cursingis, and reisingis of croiserie. Back then it was defined as ‘A spiritual punishment inflicted by some ecclesiastical judge.’ Ayliffe. (The earliest recorded sense.)[/QUOTE]
[QUOTE] A Roman censor, formerly just called a censor was The title of two magistrates in ancient Rome, who drew up the register or census of the citizens, etc., and had the supervision of public morals.[/QUOTE]
In the same entry as censure, definition 5 explores, the concept further.
- Censorship; the office or action of a censor.
a. Of the ancient Roman censors (= Latin censūra): also concrete (obsolete).
λογοκρίνω
See Screenshots of the OED entries for all the details, and referenced material.
Entry for censor
entry for censure n.
Additional context - http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus:text:1999.04.0063:entry=censor-cn
etymology latin origin-unknown greek
New contributor
Julien Tremblay McLellan is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
I have been looking in OED for a history that makes sense, yet, I just find crumbs, and I can not piece the history of this term. I am hitting a dead end researching the greek term to censor, named λογοκρίνω
According to Oxford English Dictionary the word censure, n., is first documented in use in
[QUOTE]138. Wyclif Sel. Wks. III. 361 Censures þat þe fend blowiþ, as ben suspendingis, enterditingis, cursingis, and reisingis of croiserie. Back then it was defined as ‘A spiritual punishment inflicted by some ecclesiastical judge.’ Ayliffe. (The earliest recorded sense.)[/QUOTE]
[QUOTE] A Roman censor, formerly just called a censor was The title of two magistrates in ancient Rome, who drew up the register or census of the citizens, etc., and had the supervision of public morals.[/QUOTE]
In the same entry as censure, definition 5 explores, the concept further.
- Censorship; the office or action of a censor.
a. Of the ancient Roman censors (= Latin censūra): also concrete (obsolete).
λογοκρίνω
See Screenshots of the OED entries for all the details, and referenced material.
Entry for censor
entry for censure n.
Additional context - http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus:text:1999.04.0063:entry=censor-cn
etymology latin origin-unknown greek
etymology latin origin-unknown greek
New contributor
Julien Tremblay McLellan is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
New contributor
Julien Tremblay McLellan is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
New contributor
Julien Tremblay McLellan is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
asked 1 hour ago
Julien Tremblay McLellanJulien Tremblay McLellan
133
133
New contributor
Julien Tremblay McLellan is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
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New contributor
Julien Tremblay McLellan is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
Julien Tremblay McLellan is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
Can you clarify exactly where the problem is? Is it in understanding how the Latin word (borrowed from Greek) changed its meaning when borrowed into English? Or is it how the Latin word 'censor' came from the Greek 'λογοκρίνω' or where the pieces of 'λογοκρίνω' came from within or before Greek? Or something else?
– Mitch
30 mins ago
add a comment |
Can you clarify exactly where the problem is? Is it in understanding how the Latin word (borrowed from Greek) changed its meaning when borrowed into English? Or is it how the Latin word 'censor' came from the Greek 'λογοκρίνω' or where the pieces of 'λογοκρίνω' came from within or before Greek? Or something else?
– Mitch
30 mins ago
Can you clarify exactly where the problem is? Is it in understanding how the Latin word (borrowed from Greek) changed its meaning when borrowed into English? Or is it how the Latin word 'censor' came from the Greek 'λογοκρίνω' or where the pieces of 'λογοκρίνω' came from within or before Greek? Or something else?
– Mitch
30 mins ago
Can you clarify exactly where the problem is? Is it in understanding how the Latin word (borrowed from Greek) changed its meaning when borrowed into English? Or is it how the Latin word 'censor' came from the Greek 'λογοκρίνω' or where the pieces of 'λογοκρίνω' came from within or before Greek? Or something else?
– Mitch
30 mins ago
add a comment |
2 Answers
2
active
oldest
votes
I have found an etymological account that carries the Latin verb censeo (a probable root of censor and related terms) back to Proto Indo-European. Etymological Dictionary of Latin and the other Italic Languages
by Michiel de Vaan includes the following entry:

Rather than going to Greek, de Vaan goes to the Proto-Italic *knse-; the star denotes that it is a reconstruction based on comparative evidence from related languages, like Faliscan and Oscan. Wiktionary presents some of the other cognates and hypothesized roots in an easily readable format here.
Beautiful, that is the answer.
– Julien Tremblay McLellan
1 min ago
add a comment |
censor etymonline
1530s, "Roman magistrate of 5c. B.C.E. who took censuses; sense of
"officious judge of morals and conduct" in English is from 1590s. From
1640s as "official empowered to examine books, plays (later films,
etc.) to see they are free of anything immoral or heretical." By the
early decades of the 19c. the meaning of the English word had
concentrated into "state agent charged with suppression of speech or
published matter deemed politically subversive
Initially the simple taking of a census, the term began to imply the 'morality police' in English in ~1600, and has remained so since.
add a comment |
Your Answer
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2 Answers
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2 Answers
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active
oldest
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I have found an etymological account that carries the Latin verb censeo (a probable root of censor and related terms) back to Proto Indo-European. Etymological Dictionary of Latin and the other Italic Languages
by Michiel de Vaan includes the following entry:

Rather than going to Greek, de Vaan goes to the Proto-Italic *knse-; the star denotes that it is a reconstruction based on comparative evidence from related languages, like Faliscan and Oscan. Wiktionary presents some of the other cognates and hypothesized roots in an easily readable format here.
Beautiful, that is the answer.
– Julien Tremblay McLellan
1 min ago
add a comment |
I have found an etymological account that carries the Latin verb censeo (a probable root of censor and related terms) back to Proto Indo-European. Etymological Dictionary of Latin and the other Italic Languages
by Michiel de Vaan includes the following entry:

Rather than going to Greek, de Vaan goes to the Proto-Italic *knse-; the star denotes that it is a reconstruction based on comparative evidence from related languages, like Faliscan and Oscan. Wiktionary presents some of the other cognates and hypothesized roots in an easily readable format here.
Beautiful, that is the answer.
– Julien Tremblay McLellan
1 min ago
add a comment |
I have found an etymological account that carries the Latin verb censeo (a probable root of censor and related terms) back to Proto Indo-European. Etymological Dictionary of Latin and the other Italic Languages
by Michiel de Vaan includes the following entry:

Rather than going to Greek, de Vaan goes to the Proto-Italic *knse-; the star denotes that it is a reconstruction based on comparative evidence from related languages, like Faliscan and Oscan. Wiktionary presents some of the other cognates and hypothesized roots in an easily readable format here.
I have found an etymological account that carries the Latin verb censeo (a probable root of censor and related terms) back to Proto Indo-European. Etymological Dictionary of Latin and the other Italic Languages
by Michiel de Vaan includes the following entry:

Rather than going to Greek, de Vaan goes to the Proto-Italic *knse-; the star denotes that it is a reconstruction based on comparative evidence from related languages, like Faliscan and Oscan. Wiktionary presents some of the other cognates and hypothesized roots in an easily readable format here.
answered 1 hour ago
TaliesinMerlinTaliesinMerlin
8,1771531
8,1771531
Beautiful, that is the answer.
– Julien Tremblay McLellan
1 min ago
add a comment |
Beautiful, that is the answer.
– Julien Tremblay McLellan
1 min ago
Beautiful, that is the answer.
– Julien Tremblay McLellan
1 min ago
Beautiful, that is the answer.
– Julien Tremblay McLellan
1 min ago
add a comment |
censor etymonline
1530s, "Roman magistrate of 5c. B.C.E. who took censuses; sense of
"officious judge of morals and conduct" in English is from 1590s. From
1640s as "official empowered to examine books, plays (later films,
etc.) to see they are free of anything immoral or heretical." By the
early decades of the 19c. the meaning of the English word had
concentrated into "state agent charged with suppression of speech or
published matter deemed politically subversive
Initially the simple taking of a census, the term began to imply the 'morality police' in English in ~1600, and has remained so since.
add a comment |
censor etymonline
1530s, "Roman magistrate of 5c. B.C.E. who took censuses; sense of
"officious judge of morals and conduct" in English is from 1590s. From
1640s as "official empowered to examine books, plays (later films,
etc.) to see they are free of anything immoral or heretical." By the
early decades of the 19c. the meaning of the English word had
concentrated into "state agent charged with suppression of speech or
published matter deemed politically subversive
Initially the simple taking of a census, the term began to imply the 'morality police' in English in ~1600, and has remained so since.
add a comment |
censor etymonline
1530s, "Roman magistrate of 5c. B.C.E. who took censuses; sense of
"officious judge of morals and conduct" in English is from 1590s. From
1640s as "official empowered to examine books, plays (later films,
etc.) to see they are free of anything immoral or heretical." By the
early decades of the 19c. the meaning of the English word had
concentrated into "state agent charged with suppression of speech or
published matter deemed politically subversive
Initially the simple taking of a census, the term began to imply the 'morality police' in English in ~1600, and has remained so since.
censor etymonline
1530s, "Roman magistrate of 5c. B.C.E. who took censuses; sense of
"officious judge of morals and conduct" in English is from 1590s. From
1640s as "official empowered to examine books, plays (later films,
etc.) to see they are free of anything immoral or heretical." By the
early decades of the 19c. the meaning of the English word had
concentrated into "state agent charged with suppression of speech or
published matter deemed politically subversive
Initially the simple taking of a census, the term began to imply the 'morality police' in English in ~1600, and has remained so since.
answered 1 hour ago
lbflbf
22.5k22575
22.5k22575
add a comment |
add a comment |
Julien Tremblay McLellan is a new contributor. Be nice, and check out our Code of Conduct.
Julien Tremblay McLellan is a new contributor. Be nice, and check out our Code of Conduct.
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Can you clarify exactly where the problem is? Is it in understanding how the Latin word (borrowed from Greek) changed its meaning when borrowed into English? Or is it how the Latin word 'censor' came from the Greek 'λογοκρίνω' or where the pieces of 'λογοκρίνω' came from within or before Greek? Or something else?
– Mitch
30 mins ago